The Beginner’s Guide to Selling on Amazon: Everything You Need to Know
Starting an online business can feel overwhelming, especially with so many platforms and tools out there. But one of the most accessible and popular places to start is Amazon.
If you’re new to e-commerce and want to start selling on Amazon, this guide will walk you through the key steps you need to follow, from setting up your account to shipping your first product.
Why Sell on Amazon?
Amazon is the world’s largest online marketplace. Selling on Amazon gives you access to a huge base of potential customers without needing your own website or marketing team. The platform takes care of a lot of the heavy lifting, such as payment processing, logistics (through FBA), and customer service.
Benefits of selling on Amazon include:
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Access to millions of buyers
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Simple setup and account management
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Fulfilment services to help with packing and shipping
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Built-in trust and credibility
Now, let’s look at how you can get started.
Step 1: Choose Your Selling Plan
Amazon offers two types of seller accounts:
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Individual plan – Best for those who plan to sell fewer than 40 items per month. You pay a fee per sale.
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Professional plan – Suitable for higher-volume sellers. You pay a monthly subscription, which includes access to advanced tools like advertising and bulk listing.
Choose the plan that best suits your goals and expected sales volume.
Step 2: Set Up Your Seller Account
Visit Amazon's seller webpage and create an account. You’ll need:
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A valid email address
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Business details (or personal, if selling as an individual)
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Credit card
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Phone number
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Bank account information for deposits
After registration, you can access your Seller Central dashboard, where you’ll manage your listings, view reports, and communicate with customers.
Step 3: Research What to Sell
Product research is key to success. Focus on finding items that are in demand but not too competitive. Tools like Jungle Scout, Helium 10, or AMZScout can help you analyse:
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Sales volume
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Competition level
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Price range
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Customer reviews
Aim for products with consistent demand, room for profit, and an opportunity to differentiate yourself (through better packaging, bundling, or customer service).
Step 4: Source Your Products
Once you know what to sell, you’ll need to find a supplier. Common sourcing methods include:
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Wholesale suppliers
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Dropshipping providers
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Local manufacturers
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Overseas platforms like Alibaba
Consider cost, shipping time, and product quality before choosing a supplier. Order samples to test the product before you commit to bulk purchasing.
Step 5: Create Optimised Product Listings
Your product listing is your sales pitch. A well-optimised listing includes:
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A clear, keyword-rich title
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High-quality images
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Bullet points highlighting key features
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A detailed product description
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Competitive pricing
Use tools like Keyword Tool or Helium 10 to find keywords that your target audience is searching for. This will improve your product’s visibility in Amazon search results.
Step 6: Set the Right Price (and Use a Repricer)
Pricing can make or break your success on Amazon. If your prices are too high, customers will choose cheaper competitors. If they’re too low, you risk losing profit.
That’s where an intuitive repricer comes in. A repricer is a software tool that automatically adjusts your prices based on rules you set, like staying below competitors or matching the lowest offer. This helps you:
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Stay competitive in real-time
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Win the Buy Box more often
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Save time from manual price checks
Many sellers use tools like RepricerExpress, BQool, or Seller Snap to manage their pricing strategy efficiently.
Step 7: Choose Fulfilment Method
Amazon offers two main fulfilment options:
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Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA): You send your inventory to Amazon’s warehouses. They handle shipping, returns, and customer service.
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Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM): You store, pack, and ship the products yourself.
FBA is ideal for beginners because it reduces your workload and gives your products the Prime badge, which can increase sales.
Step 8: Launch and Market Your Product
Once your listing is live, drive traffic to it through:
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Amazon PPC (pay-per-click) advertising
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Discounts or coupons to encourage reviews
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External traffic (social media, email, blogs)
Advertising can seem complicated at first, but Amazon’s campaign tools allow you to start small and scale up as you learn what works.
Step 9: Monitor Performance and Improve
After launching, use Seller Central to track your performance. Look at:
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Sales trends
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Customer reviews
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Conversion rates
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Advertising results
Keep adjusting your listings, ads, and pricing strategy to improve results over time. Tools like feedback automation or review request services can also help build your seller reputation.
Selling on Amazon is a great opportunity for both side hustlers and full-time business owners. The platform makes it easy to get started and provides access to a global market, but competition is high.
Start small, learn the ropes, and scale up as you go. With time, patience, and a willingness to adapt, your Amazon store can become a profitable and rewarding venture!
